By ARJUN GOURISHETTY, freshman

AHH… good old middle school. Studying for the NJASK, having free time in the afternoons, actually getting nine hours of sleep (and still having free time on weekends)… it all seems like a lifetime ago.

Facing the daunting challenge of high school, some freshmen are still trying to adjust to the onslaught of tests, quizzes, and projects, thinking to themselves, “I can’t believe that I complained about having homework on Fridays!” There is no doubt about it — high school is drastically different from what many incoming freshmen expected. The most notorious difference is the “every grade counts” maxim, which was nonexistent in middle school. Then, students could easily overlook an undesirable grade, taking solace in the statement, “colleges only look at grades in high school.” But guess what? Now that petty B+ factors into your GPA. Also, in high school the concept of self-responsibility is seriously emphasized. Decide to fake a stomach virus seven times throughout the year? Summer school! Decide to ditch that science lab to hang out with your friends? Get slammed with two periods of Smart Lunch.

But before you frantically start doing good deeds to make up for that bad karma, remember that not every aspect of high school is what you pictured in your worst nightmare. Many of the teachers in JP have more witty personalities and engaging teaching methods than some of the ones you may have had in middle school. They too were once high school students and understand that a forty-two minute, non-stop lecture is pretty boring. Utilizing comical personal experiences and hands-on opportunities, they constantly revitalize the classroom’s atmosphere. In addition, the administration cares about you as a student and wants to make your time at JP Stevens memorable. It will help plan and organize a host of dances, dinners, and other events. And, above all, high school is meant to be a time for making new friends and having experiences that will be treasured for a lifetime. So work hard but don’t forget to enjoy yourself!